Variable-speed mechanism



E. HALL VARIABLE SPEED MEC/PIANI SM 2 SheetswSheet l Hgimm Filed Sept. 29, 1917 4 Y 1,470,561 B. HALL.

VARIABLE SPEED MEGHANISM Original Filed Sept. 29 1917 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 9, 1923.

UNITED STATES paren Q arrasa r caries,

BICKNELL HALL, OF ABINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T HALL 00 0F BOTN,

MAssACHUsET TS, A CORPGRATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

VARIABLE-SPEED MECHANISM original applicion led September 29, V191.7, Seri August 30, 1923.

To all whdm t may concern.'

Be it known that I, BICKNELL HALL, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Abington, in the county of Plymouth and 6 State of'Massachusetts, have/invented an Improvement in Variable-Speed Mechanism,

of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the 1.0 drawings representing like parts.

This application is a division of my copending application Serial No. 194,012 filed Sept. 29, 1917, originally filed as Serial No. 610,295 on' February Q3, 1911.

This invention relates to variable speed mechanism, the. object thereof being to provide an improved, simplified and compact construction. The nature of my invention will best appear from a description of an embodiment thereof selected for illustrative purposes and shown in the accompanying` drawings wherein- Fig. 1 is a vertical, longitudinal central section of` a speed varying mechanism em- 25 bodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal, central, horizontal section taken at right angles to Fig, 1 and upon the line 2-2 o said figure;

Figs. 3 and 4 are transverse, sectional views upon the lines 3 3 and 4 4 of Fig. 1 and 'looking respectively to the left and to the right in said Fig. -1; Y

5 is a side elevation of one ofi the sets of segments;

Fig. 6 is a frontelevation thereof;

Fig. 7 is a transverse section taken through one lof the segments;

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the drive shaft 'preferably' embodied in this form of my invention; and Y Figs. 9 and 10 represent two positions of double dogs which may be employed in the present form of my invention. f Referring firstto Figs. 1 and 2, upon a suitable base (not shown) are erected two end standards land 2, constituting, it may be, a partial casing and here shown as having loosely mounted in the upper part thereof a horizontal shaft 3 having fast thereon a pulley'3 from whichpower may be taken. If desired, themechanism may be substantially wholly enclosed. Within bearings rin said standrd-"is'm'oin1ted a shaft 4 herein* a vdriving e1ement,and having fixed thereon v1and2.

a1 No. 94,012. mvidea'and 'aus 'a'nnicauen una SeriaLNo. 660,244

a pulley 5 to which power may be applied from an suitable source whereby the shaft may be riven at a constant speed in a given direction.

As shown most clearly in F ig. 8, the drive shaft has formed with, or fast thereon, preferably rectangular eccentric seats 7, 7', here shown as oppositely protruding from the shaft, or which may be formed or mounted thereon in any suitable manner. Leterme diate said rectangular eccentric seats 7, 7", the drive shaft is provided with a hub 30. Said seats are here shown-'as of opposite eccentricity with respect to the drive shaft 4 and thus provide a running balance.

Inasmuch as in thisembodiment of the invention various parts are duplicated, it will be necessary to describe in detail but one set' of parts, excepting insofar as it is essential to make clear the different circumferential positions of certain of the mem-- bers of said set of parts.. I shall describe in detail the parts shown at the left in Figs.

Upon the rectangular seat 7, as shown most clearly in Fig'. 1, is positioned a slotted disk bearing 16, the diametral slot thereon? being of such length as to permit the shifting of thedisk bearing 16 so as to vary itsr eccentricity with reference to the drive shaft 4. While any suitable means may be employed to vary the eccentricity thereof thereby to vary the radius of its gyration, preferably I form with or attach to one of an elongated pinion 19 mounted within the drive shaft 1, which for that purpose is made hollow for a portion of its length, as represented in Fig. 2. inasmuch as the eccentricity of the slotted disk bearing 16, and of the corresponding slotted disk bearing `16', mounted upon the rectangular seat 7', maybe varied or eliminated, as desired, I shall term said bearings 16 and 16 adjustable diskbearings. The shaft 4 and sa'd bearings 16, 16 constitute herein the 'driving element, or any one of them may be so considered.

In the present form of the invention E provide upon the drive shaft 4 concentric portions g, g', which are mounted in soc ts 62, 62 formed in annular members,`herein shown as portions of the standards `1;,.2',` said sockets having circular hubs t., it', as

' the walls of the slot arack 18 meshing with nis osoiol 'i ubs in, Fi cmi withlooscly mount sog mooiiiiois ci? tho genfiowii in 'i :m heroin four ii; is ciccioni. that any 'bei' of socia. scgmoiiss may bo wc looso' upon rc hcio shown ais ci general' ozrm. .Fic moons. Wiiez'coy cocli. segment ogyaoioiiiy mid against cco'tiic and iioiciii i'icion *ccc of? 'iio sockets 6%., 62', so of? iie diivon ports of the fslziiiism lic obi mol, saidV o-tioii iii diection opposites Sco slim i shaft wz. n. 'ioidiiig moons suoli as l "Z is cmpioyed. To thai", end, in ioim 'wi'siiii @zich 'sogmci one or moto dogs 64, shown two in number and pivotc ai mi. omis upon studs 65. if deci, wclo ofo'i'iicy bo cmpioycci to 'divide .slicii into w'o paris.. The said dogs 64 if osioai, bc isliopcci' and ac here Wn ,in cho sci/emi igocs wieicin alge -F we ivopcsciiboii it 5? in Figs. ll f 2. 'ilicsc llc'cicis provide im increased iii soffoca io engage lio inne? coiigoffo/co off he sockes 6%, 62. p no :may bc goviclef'i to force "che has formed thciewih iside of the sockets @2, of pEcciQbl'V, gonciaiiy wedge, Wings Ispaced firmo cach. Oibe; cosmesi ci 69; izo form o. series o oi' guiclc Ways. Positioned in @zich sioz 69" a rcc'mnguiaf block 70 loavf suii 70 sockcicd .imo the adjoining pi'cfcifaiiv onop-ieco, sijansniiion iring 7l, ioose ii'ioii @lic ooiiistoble eccentric bearing i6; o simiiai Zi arid connections "arc ci.V upon cccciitiic looming lof. Said scgiiic ii members and clogs consb'iziite onev formo?? what may tomi engaging unitS, scifi imiis being iacliiiliy variably connected iwiiii my invention, molino o they iii'izxs El iii iho marmer described.` Y1 causefi to rotate about their c is c.. unison 'gear Si ai'c couseci io rotaie in unison. The eccentric (lisl: bearings lli, llfci omp'oye in this embodiment of my "invention may loo adjusted in any preferred manner, but' do siiziby as hereinafter described, whereby he axes, of the driven rings 7l may loc variedti'ansvcrsciy 'of and i'eativeiy'to lic siiifi` simi?. ioy adjust 'from igloo ms of the are rotated in l i', `7', than in tho.-

limo"y bc positioned eccomi 16, 16 gyrato or movozccceotiicolly oiiout^ the axis of sai 'shaft causing, also like, mugs 71 to gyaic m the monaci oi' coccio tric swaps.

bearing 160i1 lo in a clockwise diicciion, .acting through tho ibloclsc's'moimtcii- `on ich/e transmission iiiigs, li., midi which' ore" cominod in 'the slois oi tl'io restrained segments 63, compels movement in coi'im1 dock-wisc direction 'of lio acijacent krans' i'nission iing 4"1, its unisoiii'inlg 72 mici tlio diiven gooi' 31. lin l'liobv opoiobioii, oi'tiilo mechanism which liavo'fsoiccomoi" illusn ir-ation and cicsci'ipioii, lioecccizz'ioizcar ings i6, i6 'and simi?. 4 movd in c, clockwise direction.

The 'gyratoryvmoi/cmont of each occoiitiic y.

Therefore, the conter cular orbit and in o. clfmlizwiseV direction about the mais of rotation of tho siiiifi.v 1i.

Assuming ibo-center' of ons o said 'boarings to have been moved siiglitly ins-.clock wise direction, the effect of such movement is, to com'pci im inward iaciisl movement of that biock 70 Whose soginoii is inem est thc conter ofthe said. eccentric ring. inasmuch as said block is limited Ato o radial movement in its slot 69' of its sogmont '53', mid inssmucb. as said Scgment'camiot move in' a. clockwise iiiectiozi Because. its dogs 6i, 6i bind against flic imho? 'miiiace'of tho sockets 62 or 62V, rho lmocosmy zfcsult of 'such inviami iacial movement, ofl block T0 1s o cootia-clocimisc movcmcm' of'iotanasl 'lion about its own' .mais iipoi; lic par; oi

the ti'aiismission iiafflviflisicm tlio'lsoici block 'TO is ,mountcfhaml iliorcfoooi ilioodiocoiit secure this contra-'clockwise movement of the transmission ring by being held fixedly against the inner surface of the socket 62 or 62 the .other segments may move concentrically about and upon the hubs L or h. As the movement of the eccentric bearing continues, each segment 63 in turn becomes progressively intermittently fxedly held against the inner surface of its socket, and the other segments are free to move concentrically about and'upon said hub It or k', The said segments 63 are at all times concentric with the shaft 4 and their dogs 64 are at Yall times 'in contact with the inner surface of the sockets 62, 62', but the binding action of each segment against the socket 62,62 occurs progressively and in sequence withthe other segments.

The rate of rotation of the transmiionrings 71, the unison rin 72 and the driven gearA 31 depends upon e degree ,of eccentricit to which the bearings 16, 16 are adjuste or in other words, upon the relative eccentricity of the driving and driven elements. -Inasmuch as such adjustment may be varied to any extent, and since the engag-v in units or segmental members are en a eab e to hold at points infinitely variab ci increments of any desired extent and umversally circumferentially about the engaged surface of the annular member, it is evident that the rate of rotation of the gear or member 3l may be any `desired rate between the minimum and the maximum speed.

If the bearings 16, 16 be adjusted until their centers are at the opposite side of the axis of thejshaft' 4 -from that herein illustratedz-that is, if they be adjusted until their centers are below the a'xis of the shaft 4. viewing Figs. 6,-it, is evident that while the direction ofgyration of the rings 71 remains the same, the direction of the rotation of said rings and of the gear or member 31 would continue to be the reverse thereof, with the dogs arranged to hold in the same manner and yas above described. With thel eccentric bearings adjusted to either side of g8 the shaft however I may obtain a drive `in either the same or the opposite dlrectlon as that in which the shaft 4 rotates by providing a reversible engaging unit or adjustment meanssuch as hereinafter described, shown in `Figs. 9 and 10 and whe-reby the rings are held at one or the opposite side and accordingly caused to -rotate in one or the oppositefdirection, the dog at one side of the rings-being inactive, while the dog.

diametrically opposed to itis holding. j

Any suit-able reversible engaging mea-ns may be provided so to eii'ect the rotation of the gear or member 31 in a'clock-wise direction from the shaft 4 'while still drivingsaidgshaft 4 vin a clock-wise direction. In Figs. 9 and 10 I have represented the gripping dogs at 73 and as each having gripping therefore each provided with two gripping surfaces, either of which may be made effec.- tlve by swinging the dogs upon their centers 77, it bein noted that the inner or adjacent edges o the gripping faces'74, 75, do not extend toward each other beyond radial lines 78, 79.` If now the dogs '73 be .swung to 'the right or clockwise viewing Fig. 9, then the gripping surfaces 74 are removed from contact with the surface 62 and the gripping 'surfaces 75 are brought into grip- 'ng 'relation therewith as repre-sented 1n ig. l0, which therefore prevent the Segments from free rota-tion in the opposite direction.

The pinion or pinions 19 may be rotated in any suitable manner to adjust the disk bearlngs 16, 16'; that is, to vary their eccentricity. Herein as shown in Fig. 2, a single with on its outer end a pin1on39, as shown most clearly in Figs. l and 2, meshin with a gear 40 loose upon a stud 41 carrie by a gear segment 42, the upper end whereof has an angula-rly extending stud 43 mounted in a bearing 44 in a suitable standard 45. The end 46 of said pinion 39 is shown as extendingl into said gear segment 42 coaxially with the pivotal stud 43 of the latter. The lower end of said gear segment 42 is provided with teeth 47 meshing with a horizontally positioned worm 48, u n the outer end 'whereof is a bevelled pinion 49, Fi 2, meshing with a similar pinion 50 on a s ort shaft 51 mounted in bearings 52 of the frame and having at itsupper end any suitable operating means such as an adjusting hand wheel (not shownl'.

The drive shaft 4 has upon its end opposite the pulley 5 a circumferential series -of teeth 54 with which mesh the teeth of a ar 55 loose upon a stud 56 mounted in the standard 1. Between the gear 55 andthe gear 40 is a unison or other transmission ring 57 generally similar to 'the unison rings 72 in Figs..1 and'2. The gear 55 is provided with a diametral groove to receive ,a corresponding rib 59 (Flg. 1) upon the unison rmg 57 andthe opposite face of said unison ring' is provided with a diametral izo.v

rib 60 preferably positioned at right angles I tothe rib 59y to enter the corresponding.;

vgroove 61 of the gear 40. Th'pinidns 39 and 54 are of the same size and normally rotate together and at,the same speed, sincev the elongated pinion 19 is withinand -rotating with the'shaft 4 carrying pinion `54. Alsothe gears 40. and 55 are of the same,

size and are normally idly driveni about Livenet said gyratory element to rotate While gyrating and at a speed dependent ,upon the adjusted position of said element. I

6. Speed varying mechanism comprising in combination a drive shaft, a normally stationary element surrounding the axis of said shaft, a rotatable element gyratable in a path of variable radius about said shaft, means upon said shaft variably to gyrate said. element, one or more units engageable with said stationary element at any point' circum'ferentially thereof the eby to preventV A i'a-iity of segmental members engageable at any point circumterentially upon said surtace and adapted progressively intermittently to be restrained from movement relatively thereto in one direction, and means radially variably connecting said segmental members and said driven element in any eccentric position of the latter 'to cause them `intr-:rmittentl y to be restrained and therebyT to compel said element to rotate upon its own axis'.

8. Speed varying mechanism comprising in combination a. drive shaft, a plurality olf annular members concentric with said shattand each having a circumferential engaging' surface, a corresponding number oi bearings upon said shaft and oppositely adjustable into greater 0r less eccentricity relative to said. shalt, means simultaneously to adjust said bearings, driven elements rotatable upon Said bearings respectively, a group of segmental members having holding means to cti-operate With said engaging surfaces, and radially variable connecting .means between said members and the respective driven elements to cause the segmental membersu of each group progressively to be held against 'thefcooperating engaging surface thereby to canse rotation of said driven elements upon their respective axes.

9. Speed varying mechanism comprisingr in combination a drive shaft, a plurality o-. annular members concentric with said shaft and each having a circumferential engaging surface, a corresponding number of bearings upon said shaft and oppositely adjustable into greater or less eccentricity relative to said shaft, means simultaneously to adjust said bearings, gyratory members rotatable upon said bearings respectively, an 'ultivA 4mately driven element rotatable about said shaft intermediate said giyratory members and connected to them for rotation in unison therewith, groups of segmental members having holding means to coopera-te with said engaging surfaces, and radially variable connecting means between said members and the respective gyra-tory members to cause the segmental members of each lgroup progressively to be held against the cooper ating engaging surface 'thereby to cause ro tation of said gyratory members and said ultimatelyidriven element upon their respective axes. l

lO. Speed varying` mechanism comprising in combination a drive sliait, a normally stationary member surrounding the axis of shaft and having a circumferential enga ing surface, a bearing upon said shaft ad instable eccentrically to either side thereof', a gyratory member rotatable upon said been ing, one or more members cooperating with said surface and having nieansto hold them from movement relatively thereto in one or ating connections between said members and said gyratory member whereby the latter causes said members to be held against said 'surface thereby to. compel said gyratory member to rotate upon its own axis' in a dia rection opposite to or the same as the direc tion of rotation ol? the drive shaft reaped tively as said means is etective to holdin.

one or the opposite direction and ai; a speed depending upon the extent oit said eccen tricity. w v

have signed my' "the opposite direction as desired, and oper 

